Most people who do a regular commute at the same times each day will don a thin raincoat or carry it with them.

But many people who just need to ride a few kilometres from A to B to C will just wear a hat or carry an umbrella. If the rain increases, you'll find clusters of cyclists waiting under trees or awnings until it lessens.

If it doesn't then they'll just put their head down and get on with it.

I'm a bike user in Portugal and I'm very interested on bikes so after visiting Amsterdam I went to Copenhagen. Why Amsterdam? Because of the "Dutch bikes brand" as you posted. :)

In fact I had allready visited Ahrrus a few years ago (I found Denmark a really nice country)and I was amazed with the cycling habits. But only after I started reading your blogs I realize it was I bigger thing and that Copenhagen was that big cycling city!

I read your blogs for a while but I have never posted so I didn't wanted to disturb you and ask to meet you and your family; I could have thought of that and ask it. It would be the best way to really know the city and his bike culture...

One must have to be SUPER BUFF to do a one handed cycle with an umbrella in the other hand. Did it once and it did not work for me. Besides, Chicago is too windy so cycling + wind and rain = no good for holding an umbrella and steering into gale-force winds off Lake Michigan.

I did a little giggle though when my partner found these umbrellas for bikes from Basil. Hee! (http://www.basil.nl/producten/19001S.jpg)

Jennifer... I can assure you that you don't have a patent on wind. It is the primary meteological feature in Copenhagen. We're on an island. For 3/4 of the year we get blown away from either the North Sea or the Baltic Sea.

Our newspapers even have a Bike Weather forecast, including that all important wind speed as you can see here.

I have only ridden with an umbrella a couple of times, normally I am a poncho kind of guy, or if it is warm and I am headed home...just get wet. I do like the idea of the handlebar bracket, I may have to order one of those for my current bike. In the US I think riding with an umbrella could be a safety issue. Drivers here ARE NOT on the lookout for cyclists and we have to share the lanes with them in many areas :-(